Campus preacher arrested twice over the weekend

A campus preacher was arrested twice over the weekend for disorderly conduct.

Dean Saxton, a religious studies and classics senior, was first arrested on Saturday evening on University Boulevard. Saxton, known on campus as Brother Dean, was preaching on University Boulevard across from Frog & Firkin during the basketball game.

During Saxton’s preaching, a man wearing a shirt that said “Wild West Security” arrived and confronted Saxton, attempting to stop him from preaching by taking his megaphone from him.

When the man began trying to take the megaphone, Saxton started yelling that he was being assaulted.

By Savannah Douglas
/ The Daily Wildcat
UA senior Dean Saxton is taken into custody outside of Gentle Ben's Brewing Co. on University Boulevard by the Tucson Police Department on Saturday. Saxton was arrested twice over the weekend.

Tucson Police Department officers already on the scene in preparation for potential riots after the basketball game responded to the conflict between Saxton and the man. Officers broke the two men apart, and Saxton was placed under arrest for disorderly conduct. Saxton was one of 15 people arrested Saturday night.

Saxton said he felt he shouldn’t have been arrested that night under the First Amendment.

The second arrest came on Sunday afternoon during the Komen Southern Arizona Race for the Cure kick-off event on the UA Mall.

Saxton was preaching at the event on Sunday, and alleged that while he was preaching, people in attendance at the event were assaulting him.

“One guy came over and tried to grab my sign … and there were some women who would punch me in the sides,” Saxton said.

University of Arizona Police Department officers arrived on the scene shortly to arrest Saxton. Joe Bermudez, a UAPD crime prevention officer, said Saxton was arrested on Sunday for disorderly conduct and disturbing the peace, but the official report is still being compiled.